Can pairing and incasing machine



5 l Apnl 927 l.. w. DlcELY CAN PAIRING AND INCASING' MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20. 1925 v April 5 1927 1.,. w. DICELY ACAN PAIRING AND INCSING MACHINE Filed July 2o, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Q Q Q Q April 5,1927u l f 1,623,393

l...v w. DICELY CAN .PAIRING AND INCASINGv MACHINE Filed July 20, 1925 '6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aprxl 5, 19,27- L, w. nlcELY CAN PAIRING AND INCASING MCHINE April 5, 192.7. 1,623,393 L, W. DICELY l CAN PIRING AND INCASING MACHINE Filed July 2Q, 1925 6 Shets-Sheet 5 lwll I I l l.

abbo/r Magd April 5, 1927.

l '.w.'DlcE| Y CAN' PAIRING AND INCASIG MACHINE Filed July 20, 1925 6 Sheets-Shea?l 6 I "Parental Apr. s.. .1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

LEE w. DICIILY,v or'v RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA-,.AssIGNoR, BY MIIsNE ASSIGNMENTS,

. To STANDARD oII. coIIIPANY oF CALIFORNIA, or sAN lFRANcIsco, cALIIIoRNIA,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

cAN PAIRINQ AND INcAsING MAoHINE.

Application md July 2o, 1925. scrialr-No. 44,849.

The invention relates to system of and:

apparatus for pairing casingv containers, and is more particularly directed to a system and apparatus forv positioning containers In pre- 5 determined positions upon a conveyor In groups or pairs, which containers, when grouped, are conveyed along a conveyor, and actuating mechanism to release a casing which fits' the containers so grouped, and

which groups of containers so placed are conveyed to a point ofuse or storage.

In casing and packing containers f or oil, such as petroleum distillates, gasoline or motor oils, it is necessary that the containers l5 be positioned in the casing in exact po ition or positions controlled by shipping resgulations. Such positioning of containers in cases,. when rmanually performed, entails great labor and expense so that such ordinances and regulation have materially in:v

creased the cost of casing and packing such containers and have consequently increased.

the cost of the articles cased to the purchaser. 'Ihis invention is directed to a system for automatically pairing and placing in the correct position in pairs the containers which are to be cased so that the same conform with the ordinances as to shipping and transportation, and which system of inexpensive operation and maintenance ,enables the 4packer of such containers to greatly reduce the cost of suchpackin It is an object of this Invention to provide agsystem of pairingl containers receivedV in a continuous line and position such containers so that acasing may be fitted thereover. I It is an object of this invention to provide 40 an apparatus for automatically arresting the continuous delivery of containers at a predetei-mined point,- and to segregate the containers as the same are delivered to-a pairingI and positioning apparatus so that the same are delivered from such pairing andV delivering apparatus in pairs positioned to be packed. l

an apparatus for casing the containers so 5u paired in which the travel of the containers -operates automatically to permit a casing to be inserted thereover to enclose the containers.

It is van object of this vinvention to -pro-l vide a system of casing, containers in pairs in .predetermined positions, when the containers are received from a conveyor on their sides, pairing the containers so received and rotating thecontainer's into an inverted position while-paired so that a casing may be fitted thereover.

It is an object of this invention to provide a system and apparatus for casing oil containers having` filling openings so that-the Iilling openings of a pair of containers are at diagonally opposite points, and which containers are delivered to a'point where a casing may be itte'd thereover.

Itis anobject ofthis invention to provide an apparatus for receiving a plurality of containers from' a conveyor, which containers .are positioned von their sides-and which apparatus will operate to turn each alternate container through. a 'half-turn, which container, when turned., will be paired with a container which has not been turned, and an apparatus for tipping the containers over into an inverted position on a second conveyor and then causing each pair of cans to engage with a wooden case so that the case drops down overeach pair of containers. Other objects and advantages of 'this invention will be apparent from the following detailed vdescription ofa preferred embodinientv thereof, as illustrated .in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation, partly brokenV l away, of'a container casing .and pairin ap paratus embodying this invention, Illustratmg a portion of the apparatus broken away.

,selective receiving apparatus embodied in this invention and illustrating also in top plan view one .of the vrotating or positioning members. Itis an object of lthis invention to provide section of the apparatus illustrated in Fig; 3. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the selective container :receivingi apparatus illustrated in Fig- 3 l Fig. 6 is an'. enlarged top plan view of the Fig. 4 is an enlarged -side elevation of the second rotating or positioning element-illustrating Valso a balanced recelving platform for receiving the containers from the positioning members.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the section of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig.`8 is a top plan view of the container inverting mechanism embodied in this invent-ion.

tion comprises the following units: A select--` ing and spacing unit A; a positioning or rotating unit B.; a pairing unit C; an invertingunit D; and a. casing unit E, which are operatively connected through conveyors in the order named. From the casing unit E the containers in. an inverted position covered with a casing or boxhare delivered to a box nailing machine and hence are conveyedto a point of storage or shi ment.=

The unit A, which is termed t e selectingand spacing unit, receives the containers from a conveyor 1 which is .preferably a gravity conveyor and delivers the containers to the unit A with their outlets 2 in a predetermined position, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The unit A-is preferably. ofthefollowing construction and comprises a pusher member 3 which pushes the containers from the conveyor 1 when the same are released and it is desired to deliver one of such .containers to the balanced platform .4. The spacing and selecting unit A is'driven by an electric motor 5 h the conveyor chain 6 'of the cas ing unit A drive 'chain 7 connects the electric motor '5' with ya s rocket 8, which s rocket is rigidly secure to the shaft 9.

cured to the shaft 9 is a pair of. larger sprockets 10, which sprockets 10 carry a roller chainA conveyor 11, which conveyor also travels over sprocket-s 13 at` the opposite end thereof.l

The sprockets 13 are rigidlysecured to a shaft 14 which carries a sprocket 15, which s rocket 15 is connected by means of a'v drive c ain 16 to a sprocket 17 secured to the shaft 18. A pair of s rockets 19 rigidly secured to the shaft 18 rives the conveyor 58. The conve or 58 also travels over sprockets 21 an 22. The sprocketsv 22 are 'rigidly secured to a shaft 23, which shaft drives. the spacing and. selecting unit A. 4Two cams 24 and`25 are secured tothe shaft 23. A pair of rollers 26, 27 ride'upon the `cams 24 and 25` and carry yokes 28 and 29 stopped by the unit A'as heretofore described, which unit A comprises a pair of short belt conveyors which pass over-pulleys y33 and 34y and a roller "35. Thepulleys 33, 34 are secured to vrshafts 36 and 36a.

The shaft'36 carries a friction clutch 37 which is driven by'thc shaft 23 in the following manner: v

A sprocket 38 is rigidly secured to the shaft 23 and is connected by vmeans-of an. eccentric pin 39 toan arm 40, the 4arrn A40 being connected vas,` illustrated at, 41 ,to a toggle 42, thistoggl'e'being pivoted atl the pin 43 to the frame 32 ofthe unit A. V"Ihe toggle 42 is pivotally connected at the pin 44 to the clutch operating arm 45, which clutchv operating arm 45 isconnected to a clutch collar 46. `The clutch operatingarm 45 is pivoted at a point 47l toy an arm 48 Y which extendsy from the frame 32 ofthe unit A. 5 y

The clutch 37 is diagrammatically illus= trated as comprising two discs 49 and 50, the disc 50 kbeing loosely journaled'on the shaft 36 and a chain 51 drivesvthe'fdisc 50 from the sprocket 38. by means of asprocket 52 which is rigidly secured to a collar `Which forms an eXtenslon of the ydisc 50. -'The disc 49 is rigidly secured to the shaft 36 ,by a keyv (not shown) which-passes through va keyway formed in the interior bore of the disc 49 to permit the disc 49.to travel along the shaft 36. A spring 53 'mountedbetween the collar 54 andthe collar 46' urges the collar 46, and hence the disc 49, into engag ment lwith the disc 50. On eaclifrotation of the shaft 23, it lWill thereforel be apparent that the discs 49 and 50 of theclutch`37 are engaged, and the short belt conveyors of the arresting unit 3 are therefore rotated and stopped alternately.

.The cams 24 and 25 operate arresting arms 55 and 56; the arresting armV 55 prevents the containers traveling-by Y gravity from the.

conveyor 58 of the positioning unit B. The

arm 56 arrests thermotio'n of-'the container and then quickly releases `'the container so Lacasse that when a lug 59 mbunted on theconveyor 58 engagessuch container, the same is conveyed along the conveyor 58 to the positioning unit B, as will be hereinafter described:

It will be seen that the container Willpass from the short beltconveyors of the arresting unit 3 to the rollers 57a and 57" where it will remain at rest against the arresting arm` 55 until pushed on to balanced platform 4 by a second container arriving'from said short belt'conveyors. The rollers 57 and 5.7b are inclined at the salue angle as the conveyor 1 but the containers are prevented from moving forward by gravity by means of an arm 55a which is pivoted at one end to the frame 32 and is depressed at its other end by means of a spring and plungerl 55", thus pressing said arm 55a. against the A top of the container which remains stationplatform 4; The platform 4 is balanced so that when the container drops upon the rear end 63 thereof, the container drops ligkllitly' from the conveyor 1 over which it ,has pushed by means of the short belt conveyors of the unit A. The second arresting arm 56 prevents the container from running forward upon conveyor 58 until a lug 59 is. in contact with the rear of said container at which timethe arm 56 is raised by means of arm 29 actuated by cam 25. As soon as the. container has been pushed on conveyor 58 by lug 59 the balanced platform 4 is elevated to its original position with the short rollers 57 slightly below the level of the rollers 57a of conveyor 1. This return mor tion of platform 4 is effected by means of the counterbalances 61 on arms 62.

The container engaged by the lug 59 travels along the conveyor 58 to the positioningunit B, which positioning unit B comprises a pair of rotatable units 65 and 66. When vthe .first container of the pair is delivered from theunit A, the rotatable units'- 65 and 66 are inthe position illustrated in Fig. A1, at whlch time the container is enf gaged by the squaregshoulders 67 ofthe irst unit and rotates the unit 65, which .rotation of the unit 65, in combination with. the

square shoulders 67, rotates the rst container-through ninety degrees to the posil tion illustrated at 68. The lug 59'then conveys the containerto the second rotatable unit 66, where the same engages the square shoulder 69 and rotates the unit 66, and the container is in a like manner rotated through ninety degrees to the position illustrated at 7 From the rotatable unit '66 the first coniainer is delivered to the pairing unit C, which comprises a balanced platform 71 which is inclined upward from'the conveyor 58 so that the first container is icaused'to travel upward to a point near the delivery end of the'balanced conveyor 71 until the lug 59 passes under the container. The second container of a pair is likewise engaged b a lug 59 on the\conveyor 58 and is carried through the curved surfaces 72 and 73 of the lrotatable units 65\and 66respectively and causes these units to rotate through ninety degrees, which rotation thereof, however, does not cause the second container to rotate, but -leaves the same in the position in which the same were deliveredto thecon- -'veyor 58. The second container is delivered from the second rotating unit 66 on the inclined balanced platform 71 and when the same is driven toward the said end ofy such a. platform 71 by means'of a .lu'g'59 ofthe conveyor 58, the .par'ofcontainers overbalances thel balanced conveyor and the same drops at the delivery end to approximately' the elevation of the conveyor 58 so that the lug 59 pushing the second container-.causes both-containers ofthe pair to travel alonging engaged the -rst container. It will be seen that the counterbalanced platform 71 would tend to rise as soon as the first container is pushed off and the Weight upon it thus reduced by one half, thus permitting-a separation of the paired containers. In order to prevent said platform from rising beforeboth containers havebeen removed by a lug 59, a spring plunger havlng a roller foot is provided as at 71a attached to the conveyor frame just above and' sli htly forward of the end of platform 1. Thls plunger 71a en ages the top surface of the containers as t ev are' pushed forward by.

lug 59,'thus preventing the elevation of platform 71 until the second container has passed olf of said platform 71* and is again upon conveyor 58. This same "result might.l be effected by making the length of platform 71 such that,- with respect to a given weight 82,

andarm 83,. one container at thev forward end of platform 71 would offset thel weight 82 and prevent platform 71'I from rising. It is preferred, however, ,toi use the'spring plunger as described above. v

The rotatable units 65' and' 66 are preferably of like construction and comprise a pair of star 'wheels 74r\ rigidly securedl to shafts 7 5, which shaft 7 5 has a s nare collar 76 secured theretofwhich collar 6 presents four flat surfaces 77 which. are engaged by means of flat springs 78 toprevent thev star wheels 74 from rotating except when the same are engaged by the containers. The

springs 78 are secured to a transversely extending member 79 which is secured to the framework of the unit B as illustrated at 80.'

The platform 71 is balanced by means of 'a pair of weights 82 which are adjustably.

. conveyed by means of the conveyor 58 to .the inverting unit l), and are inverted in the following manner.

A second conveyor 11 is positionodto one side of the conveyor 58 .and adjacent thereto, and at a lower elevation than the conveyor 58, as is shown inFig.v 9. 4A pair of containers travel along the conveyors 58, engage av turning bar A88 which is secured tothe frame members 89 at one side of the conveyorg58 .and extends across the conveyor at an angle to the travelof the conveyor 58 so that the containers in the pair engage at their rearward edges the surface 90 of the turning rod 88 and are `moved toward the edge of the conveyor 58 which is' adjacent the conveyof 11. When the containers are moved toward the edge of the conveyor 58 and over the edge thereof, the same drop on the conveyor 11, as is illustrated in Fig. 9. A retaining structure 91 is provided to prevent the containersfrom rotating over and oil' the conve or 11. f

The containers so inverted are conveyed along the conveyor 11 by means of a lug 87 similar to the lugs 59 to the easin unit E, which unit E is preferably of the ollowing construction and mode of operation: -A gravity conveyor 92 conveys cases or boxes 93 from -any suitablepoint, such as a box factory or the like. The forwardmost case 93 is arrested in its travel along the conveyor 92'by means of a pair of arms 94, whlch arms 94 project inwardly over the conveyor 92 a slight distance and engage the outward edges of the case 93. The arms v 94 are curved as illustrated at 95 and are pivotally connected to a balancing arm 96 y -plns 97, the' balancing arm functioning to maintain equal projection Yof the inner /spring'urges the inner e'nds'of the bars 944 into position to .engage the edges of a case 93. XThe opposite .arms of the toggle links 100 provide releasing arms 103 which are in position to be engaged by the forward container of the pair which is traveling along the con veyor 11.v The arms 103 are inclined "in the direction of travel ofthe containers so that the containers when they engage the edges of form 106 until the rearward edge 107 thereof drops'olf the far edge of such platform 106, so that in this position the case'93 drops upon the paired containers.

It will be obvious that means must be provided for centering the case 93 so that the same will drop over the containers. Such means are provided by the guide rails-108,

which guide the cases 93 into position directly overt-he containers. Guide rails 109 guide the paired containers into a central position on the conveyor 11 upon which the same are carried through a casing unit E. TheV containers in the inverted position with a case dropped. thereover leave the casing unit E on the conveyor 1.1 and are delivered from the conveyor 11 to any suitable place of delivery, such as another turning unit such as the unit C, where the same are turned right-side up .and placedupon a gravity roller conveyor which carries the case and containers to a nailing machine, where the top is nailed upon the case, or the paired A containers in the inverted position with the case fitted thereover, may be delivered to any other desired position or point.

Briefly stated, the operation ofthe system is as follows:

Containers, received from the conveyor in predetermined positions pass through the selecting and spacing unit A which spaces the containers apart a sutlicient distance to permit the first container to be rotated to the desired position by means of a positioning unit 'B and permit the second container to travel through such a unit B fafter the first container without being affected thereby. The containers are agaiacollected in the pairing C and leave the pairing unitto an inverting unit D Where the same are 1nverted on a conveyor in which inverted position they are carried to a casing unit E, where the paired containers in the inverted position operate to release a casing received from a gravity conveyor and drag the same over into position to permit the same to fall over and cover the pair of containers. From this point the paired. containers with the case fitted over them are delivered to any desired positionor point of use.-

Having fully described a preferred em` bodiment of this invention, it will be understood that vit is not intended that the same f -should be limited to the exact and detailed construction herein set forth, which may obviously be varied in detail withont departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

. I claimzi 1. Ina can pairing and incasing machine, the combination ofv a conveyor along which 'the cans-to be incased and paired are conveyed on their sides, means for pairing the cans so conveyed,y means for rotating the cans to an inverted-position while paired, and means for itting a casing over the said cans as paired.

2. In a can pairing and incasing machine, the combination of a conveyor along which a. plurality of cans are adapted to be conveyed, means for rotating each alternate can through 180, means for selectively pairing the cans so conveyed, and means for fitting the casing over the cans so paired.

3,. In a can pairing and incasing machine, the combination of a conveyor along which cans to be paired and incased are conveyed on their sides, means for selectively pairing the cans so conveyed, means' for inverting the cans so paired, and means for tting a casing over the cans so paired.

4. In a can pairing and incasing machine,

ythe combination of a conveyor adapted to convey a plurality ofcans, means for rotating each alternate can through 180, means.

for selectively 4pairing the cans so conveyed,

and means for {itt-ing a casing over the cans so paired. l p

5. In a can pairing and incasing nachine, the combination of a conveyor, means for selectively pairing cans intopredetermined positions, means for inverting the' cans as paired, and means for fitting a casing over 4 the said cans.

- paired.

6. In a can pairing and incasing machine,

the combination of a conveyor adapted v4to convey a plurality of containers having filling openings at corresponding corners, means for selectively pairing the cans on the conveyor with'their filling openings at diagonal corners of each pair, and means for fitting a casing over the cans so paired.

7. In a can pairing' and incasing machine, the'combination of -a conveyor along which cans having filling openings at their 'corresponding corners are adapted to be con-` veyed, means for selectively pairing the cans with their lling openings in predetermined positions, means for inverting the cans, and means for fitting a'casing over the cans so paired.

8. In the combination of a conveyor along which a plurality of cans having filling openings are adapted to be conveyed, means for selectively pairing the cans with their |filling openings in diagonal opposed positions, and means for fitting a casing over the cans so a can pairing and incasing machine,

ain

a can pairing and incasing machine,

the combination 'of a conve or'along which a plurality of oil causare a apted to be conveyed with their filling openings in corresponding positions, means for pairing the cans so conveyed, means for `rotating each alternate can so that the filling openings of the ears of each 'pair are in lopposed positions, land means for fitting a casing over the cans so paired.

10. In a can pairing and incasing machine, the combination of a conveyor along which cans having filling openings are adapted to be conveyed with the filling openings of the said cans in corresponding positions, means for rotating each alternate can. soA that its filling opening 1s in a position opposed toa,A

non-rotated can, means for pairing-the can so conveyed, and means for itting a casing over the can so paired.

11. In a can pairing and incasing machine, the combination of a conveyor along which a plurality of cans are adapted to be conveyed, means for rotating each alternate caninverting the cans, and means for fitting a casingover the cans so inverted.

13. In an apparatus of the classdescribed,

the` combination of support a plurality of containers, means for lseparating the containers on the conveyor, means for rotating each alternate container through 180 on the conveyor while the said containers are separated, and means for pairing the containers, on the conveyor.

14, In an apparatus of the class escrlbed,

'the combinationof a -conveyor a apted tol support and :convey a plurality ot contalners, means for arresting the motion of the containers on the conveyors, means for separately delivering the containers from the second said confirst said conveyor to the veyor, means on thesecond conveyor for rotating each alternate container, and means' for pairing one rotated container with one non-rotated container.

15. Inl an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of containers, means'for iners on the conveyor,

separating the'cont 0 yor for rotating each means on the 'conv alternate conveyor to substantiall means on the conveyor for rotating t e said containers through a second 90, said means being inoperative when the7 seconld container a conveyor adapted Vto of each pair is passin, along the conveyor to rotatethe said secon container, and means forpairing the'containers on the conveyor.

16. In an ilpparatus of the class described, the combination .of gravity conveyors adapted to convey a plurality of containers,

' means mounted on the conveyor for arresting the motion of the containers, driven means adapted to periodically drive a container lfrom the conveyor 4to a second conveyor, means mounted on the second conveyor forrotating each alternate conveyor through` 180, which means are inoperative to rotate the second container of each pair delivered from the sai'd conveyor and which secondl container operatively engages the` said rotating means to rotate the same from the non-operative tothe operative position, and means mounted on the said second conveyor for pairing a rotated with a non rotated container. v

17,.-In an apparatus of the class described,

.the combination Yof means for conveying al plurality of containers, means mounted on the conveyor for pairing the said containers, means for inverting the containers onto a second adjacent conveyor, means on the said i. second conveyor for arresting the Vmotion of the container, a casing conveyor mounted over the said conveyor and adapted to support the Casin s in positionto be engaged by the forwar edge of the container as the v same are driven along the second said conings-,means operatively -'coi'i'ii veyor so vthat the containers pull a casing from the casing conveyor over themselves.

' 18. In an apparatus ofthe class described,

the combination of` a conveyor, -ineans mounted on the conveyor for pairing con" tainers, means for inverting the containers so paired' onto a second conveyor, means mounted .on the second conveyor `and adapted to engage the said containers Lwhile. the

samevareconveyed along the container to resist the travel ofthe container, a conveyor mounted above 4the secondI said"=conveyor and adapted to convey a plurality' of casected with the said container, resisting means for holding the casings in position at the end of the said casing, conveyor in position to beengaged by the upper edge of the s aid contaiiiei's so that when the said containers are driven past the said resistant means, the said casing arresting means is released to permit` the containers vto draw a casing from the said casing conveyor.

-1 9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a conveyor, means on the conveyor for separating the containers, means for rotating each alternate container, an inclined pivotally mounted pairing rack mounted on the said container on which the said' containers are driven to pair the same aiid which containers when driven up the pivotally supported pairing -iack overbala container off of the said conveyor to a second container to separate the same,means mounted lon the second container for rotating each alternate container, and which means, after rotating the said container, is actuated to a position inoperative to rotate the next alternate container,- vvliicli next alternate container,n as the same is driven along the conveyor, engages the said rotating means to rotate the same from'the nonoperative` to the operative position, and means on thev said second conveyor'for pairance the saine so as to lower the same to the ing a rotated with a non-rotated container.

Signed at Richmond, (Qalifornia,r this 9th day of July, 1925. l

' vLnn W. Dionnv.v 

